Sheath or scabbard.



F. R. BATCHELDER.

SHEATH 0R SGABBARD.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 9, 1912.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915] In van for:

Oy 16am/Q3@ @Mm/1L C/Qorney.

'HE NORRIS PETERS CD., PHUTULITHCL WASHINGTON. D. C

FRANK R. BATCHELDER, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHEATH 0R SCABBARD.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. lll, lltlllf.

Application led April 9, M12. Serial No. 689,526.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, FRANK It. BATCH- npnnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at llVorcester, in the county of Worcester, State of lvlassachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Sheaths or Scabbards, of which the following a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to sheaths or scabsuch, for instance, as those which are employed for knives, bayonets, bolos, and l.f'arious other weapons and implements.

More particularly, it has relation to the coverings which are applied to the bodyportions of sheaths or scabbards.

Tt consists in a sheath or scabbard having a seamless covering of novel and improved character, having no protruding iin or exposed seam, and fitting the body of the sheath or scabbard snugly and smoothly.

As an example, the invention is shown in the drawings applied in connection with a sheath or scabbard for a sword-bayonet, but it is equally applicable to sheaths or scabbards for other articles.

In the drawings,-Figure l shows in rear elevation a sheath or scabbard having the invention applied thereto. with a portion of the cover broken away. IFig. 2 is a top view of the upper end thereof. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the cover with the upper portion thereof broken away and the body omitted. Fig. 4 is a view showing the upper portion of a cover-piece, illustrating the invention.

Having reference to the drawings,- the sheath or scabbard shown therein, is, as stated above, one for a sword-bayonet, and is of the flattened shape at present in use, and is proportioned to receive within it the length of the blade of such bayonet. The body 1 of said sheath or scabbard, partly shown in Fig. 1, is of wood covered with raw hide, or of otherl suitable material,

as preferred. 2 is a cap or mouth-piece upon the upper end of said body, such cap or mouth-piece being made of metal or other suitable material, and having the entering slot 2, Fig. 2, in line with the blade-receiving space within the body l. This cap or mouthpiece surrounds and incloses the upper endportion of the body 1. Being exterior-ly wider and thicker than the said body, it forms an enlargement at the upper end of the sheath or scabbard.

Heretofore, the material employed as the cover' of a sheath or scabbard has been cut to pattern from a flat sheet or web, then folded transversely so as to cause its longitudinal margins to lie one upon the other, and stitched lengthwise through and through such margins, to unite them and thereby close the cover lengthwise in the form of a tube, and after having been thus formed into a tube it has been drawn upon the body. The pattern has been proportioned properly to cause the upper portion to accommodate the enlargement of the cap or mouth-piece and to fit the exterior thereof, and the remaining portions of the cover to fit the portions of the body-below such enlargement. This method of making the cover is open to the very grave objection that it locates the longitudinal seam in an exposed position at o-ne edge of the sheath or scabbard, and in addition produces a prominent projecting fin or rib along such edge outside the seam. The size and prominence of this projecting fin or rib are increased in the case of a cover made of cloth by the doubling back of the raw cut edges of the cloth inward to conceal and protect such edges, making four thicknesses of material in the projecting fin o1' rib. This projecting fin or rib is unsightly, and the work of making and applying the covering is diliicult. The stitched seam sometimes rips as a result of decay and weakening of the thread employed in the sewing, and of injury to the exposed stitches due to wear or hard usage.

By employing a cover which is seamless throughout the length of the sheath or scabbard below the cap or mouth-piece, and which fits snugly and smoothly upon the exterior of the bodv l, I eliminate the projecting lin or rib aforesaid, and the exposed seam extending the length of the cover.

In accordance with the invention T make the cover 3 of a woven fabric tube which is closed and seamless throughout its entire length covering the body of the sheath or scabbard from the tapering lower end of the latter to the cap or mouth-piece, and has at its upper end, at an intermediate place in the width of one side thereof, a slit to permit of expanding such end of the tube to fit the exterior of the cap or mouth-piece 2. The slit in question is represented at 4 in Fig. 4. T may weave the tube with this slit, but in order to economize in time and cost of production T may employ a tube of continuous closed hose-pipe weave throughout its entire length, and slit the saine in one side at the proper end by cutting lengthwise. l am thereby enabled to weave a continuous tubular web of great length and then cut such web up into cover lengths, and simply slit each of the latter. rlo prevent the cloth from tearing or spreading beyond the lower end of the slit 4, as in consequence of the kexpanding opera-tion or the strain in work` ing the cover upon the body l and the bodyportion of the cap or mouth-piece, I stay or reinforce the side of the tube in which the slit 4 is formed, at the said lower end of the slit. l: have shown this staying or reinforcing effect in the present instance by trans verse barring stitches 5, but a wire or other metal stay may be employed instead, or any other forni of stay or reinforce adapted to this particular place of application. I fold the upper end-portion of the cover-piece back into the latter, as shown in Fig. 3, producing thereby a hem, to conceal and protect the cut edge and give a smooth linish to the upper end of the cover. l then expand the cover 3V at the slitted end to an extent suitable to enable the expanded end to receive the body-portion of the cap or mouthpiece within it, thereby spreading the slit 4 so as to produce the V-shaped opening that is represented in Fig. 3. Upon the exterior 'ofthe cover -I 4place the supporting tab 6. Illhis tab bridges and covers the Veshaped opening. l then secure the tab in place by means of a line 7 of stitches engaging with the tab around its margin on three sides, and also with the material of the cover at both sides of the V-shaped opening, and across below the lower end of the said opening. A line of stitches 8 is also made across the upper end of the cover, thereby securing the upper portion of the tab to the cover on a transverse line. Diagonal lines of stitches 9, 9, also engage with the intermediate portions of the tab Vand with marginal portions of the cover at opposite sides of the V- shaped opening. The tab has connected therewith a wire suspension device 10. The tab completely covers, conceals, and protects the slit and opening in the side of the cover, so that there is no visible or exposed seam in the latter.

lt will be understood that the described means and manner of staying or reinforcing the cover at the lower end oi the slit 4, and of securing the tab to the cover and holding the upper portion ol3 the latter in its expanded condition, are merely illustrative.

When the cover has been drawn into place upon the body l., the smooth-linislied turnedin upper end of the cover lits closely up against the projecting rim or flange 2b of the cap or mouthpiece and is shielded thereby.

In case the slit 4 is formed in the weaving, a continuous cover-web will be woven, with slits 4 formed therein in the weaving at suit ably recurring intervals, such web being subsequently cut up into cover-lengths.

What is claimed as the invention is lThe combination with an interior body having an exterior enlargement at one end thereof and a substantially unitorm size beyond suoli enlargement, of a cover consisting of a tubular woven fabric having a normal diameter which fits the main length of the said body, and seamless throughout said main length, said tubular fabric having a longitudinal slit in the portion thereof surrounding the said enlargement and such portion spread to fit the enlargement, a snspension device, and a tab securing said snspension device to the cover, said tab bridg ing the slit and fastened to the cover at op posite sides of the slit so as to hold the said sides permanently spread apart and thereby produce a widening of the cove'.` to fit the enlargement of the interior body.

In testimony whereof I alix my signature in presence o'l two witnesses.

FRANK R. BATCHELDER. Vitnesses MABEL C. BATCHELDER, HENRY A. Townn.

Copies of this patent may be' obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

